Former President Rodrigo Duterte, shown here making a speech in August 2016. (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Duterte said on Sunday that he would order the arrest of those behind the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution if he could ever come back to power.
“By the grace of God [if] if I return…” Duterte started to say, but he was immediately interrupted by the cheers of his supporters during a prayer rally in Davao City.
At around the same time, the “Bagong Pilipinas” kickoff rally led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was being held at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila.
“That will be a miracle. That would not happen. [CURSING]. If I do return, I will arrest all of you for the swindling of the Filipino people. You committed fraud. You wasted our money. People’s initiative [should not] involve buying the votes or signatures of the Filipino people,” the former president added.
Duterte pointed out that there was “nothing wrong” with revising the Constitution.
But he said: “[CURSING], how did it get into your head to have this people’s initiative? What were you thinking? There’s nothing wrong with the Constitution now that the environment [for it] in the Philippines seems to be positive,” he said
If ever the people’s initiative would push through, Dueterte threatened lawmakers that he would likewise order the military enforcers to “ruin” Congress and call for the independence of other regions against the movement.
“If that’s how you consider the Philippines, let’s just all separate. Let’s declare independence [from each other] — separate,” he said.
On Nov. 3, 2023, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), revealed a supposed destabilization move against the administration. Some retired military officers were purportedly hatching the scheme.
But the AFP later clarified that Brawner was only “misquoted” and that there was no such destabilization plot.
Days after, on Nov. 7, Duterte said he was wondering how his name got dragged into the alleged scheme against Marcos.
In his radio program over Sonshine Media Network International, Duterte confirmed that he did have conversations with some retired generals but denied being involved in an anti-Marcos administration plot.
Duterte said he might have been misquoted.
Contrary to his laments about the Marcos administration now, Duterte disclosed at that time that he thought that the current administration had no issue with corruption.
“Marcos, there’s nothing I could say. I wouldn’t say that he is corrupt. But that’s just him. I cannot make any categorical statement to others. It’s not because they have anything to do with it.. I just really do not know,” he said.